A Big Day For Change
It is with great pride that Geebo has removed it’s Personal Ads section, effective today. While we are pleased to be the first classified outlet, both digital or print, to make such a move, we want to be clear that this decision isn’t premised on our desire to distinguish ourselves from any other classified service. This is about social responsibility and our concerns about human rights violations occurring on OTHER classified ad sites. Please be assured that Geebo has never encountered any problems or concerns regarding our personals section or any other content. This we attribute to our thorough review process and exceptional staff.
Currently, Geebo is experiencing more first-time visitors than at any other point on our 10-year history. We are also enjoying endorsements and partnerships with a wide variety of service and support organizations that share our focus on social responsibility. While we are ecstatic over our numbers and our partnerships, we want to be sure that all of these new users are as protected as possible. Removing the personals component is purely a precautionary measure.
We do want to emphasize that there is nothing wrong with utilizing sites such as Match.com or eHarmony.com in pursuit of love, lust, or friendship. These sites are large, trusted organizations that have done a terrific job monitoring their content. Being as Geebo is much more than a dating site, and a smaller company, we feel that it is in the best interests of our users to focus on what we are best at and most equipped for.
Thank you for your continued support. As we grow, we will continue to do all we can to provide you with a safe, enjoyable community classifieds experience.
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Ashley, and 3 others are discussing.
Lauren Taylor 4:05 pm on September 14, 2010 Permalink
Thank you Greg for your leadership in the online classifieds community! This is a brave and heroic move.
kat 10:44 am on October 14, 2010 Permalink
Weather you meet someone online, in a bar or in a library,everyone could be a crazed murderer or rapist.The problem with government and the powers that be coercing websites to shut down erotic services and personals are the end to freedom of speech and personal rights.We should be more live and let live like Canada and Europe where prositution and gay marriage are legal.
Greg Collier 10:55 am on October 14, 2010 Permalink
Funny you should mention Canada…
http://bit.ly/aTznMF
Ashley 2:44 pm on October 21, 2010 Permalink
Kat, I believe that you meant for your comments to reflect your viewpoints as open-minded and tolerant, but placing gay marriage and prostitution in the same breath and using them as frames of reference synonymous with each other was anything but (open-minded and tolerant).
Have you seen the personals on these other sites (I won’t use any names out of respect for Geebo’s reputation and as to avoid any false slander speculation)? They are filthy. I hold no reservations about making that judgement (or rather observation) because I believe it to be absolutely true, and when prostitution becomes such an easy option, it can and does become an addiction. I’ve seen it first hand and it is a tragedy.
This isn’t a matter of human rights. If someone so desires to bring prostitution via internet personals into the light as something that falls under the pursuit of happiness, I will be interested in the results. It seems however, that most people who resort to prostitution through these personal sites are doing so out of desperation and it would prove difficult to find enough people that are passionate enough about prostitution to start that movement.
This is, however, a matter of safety. People have died. Prostitution is an inherently dangerous business, and to claim that we should be more like “Canada and Europe” is not at all relevent to this decision to eliminate the personals section, because in these situations over the internet, there is absolute anonymity and no disclosure of intent. Also, I think it might have served you well to do a brief check into the prostitution policies in “Canada and Europe.” In Canada, the act of prostitution itself is legal, however almost all means are procuring and participating in this act are out-lawed. In Europe, there are eight nations in which prostitution is legal and irregulated. The UK, Sweden, Ireland, France (ironic? Laissez-faire?), Norway and Iceland all hold laws prohibiting prostitution (as well as a large portion of Eastern Europe, mainly from a moral standpoint). And even in the countries where prostitution is legal, there have been so many violent (and often deadly) repercussions that it seems hard to view that as a positive mold.
Long story short, to lump gay marriage in with prostitution is exactly the kind of backwards thinking that is maintaining gay marriage’s status as illegal in the majority of the United States. Think before you type.
P.S. The weather is nice, whether you believe it or not.
Bill Lema 10:56 am on October 27, 2010 Permalink
Rock on
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